Unemployment

Unemployment: the way ahead

The current employment situation in Catalonia is catastrophic, according with last data there is a 17,91% of unemployment and there is not jobcreation enough for a tendency change. Unemployment has always been a structural problem in Spain, nevertheless, this situation has become dramatic in last years, since the new europeancurrency was introduced, the cost of housing and living raised, it is making life in Catalonia harder. With this market situation the social charges has increased drastically due to allpeople who is on the dole, so I think that whereas we don’t introduce a new labour policy we will have the same structural problem with employment.
During this days Goverment isworking on a new plan to restructure the labour market, with the intention to reduce the dismissal cost, but this proposal has the objection from Unions and some economists that arguethat this can be used by companies to fire employee easily. Increase the retirement age is also another controversial proposal that workers obviously are not willing to accept, butprobably necessary if we want to reduce the social cost. To become civil servant has been an option for many people during this period, because is a good way to get a permanent contract,yet Goverment announced that budget will be reduced as well as investment and some social care expense.
Although I’m not an expert economist, I think that the way ahead to solvethe current problem is restructuring our labour market as well as increase the productivity in Spain. We should increase the part-time job instead to the dismissal option and give theoportunity to get a training period during this situation. There’s too much things to do, but probably politicians prefer keep votes before work on it with all the consequences.